Tobacco-tin.



G. T. GREER.

TOBACCO TIN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1. 1915.

31,170,147. Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

"GTGREER GEORGE TATE GREEB,,OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA;

I TOBACCO-TIN.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

Application filed June 7, 1915. Serial No. 32,686.

reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

My present invention relates broadly to new and useful improvements in tobacco tins or containers and as one of its principal objects has in mind the provision of a container of this character which is accom panied by a cigarette forming tube.

A more specific object of the invention is to combine with the tin or container for the tobacco, a cigarette forming tube, which is seated in a longitudinal channel formed in one side of the tin and is designed to serve not only as a curling means for rolling a cigarette paper into cylindrical form, but is' also adapted for use-as a feeder, whereby the proper quantity of tobacco may be let into the tubular cigarette wrapper produced from the paper.

Another important object of the invention is to provide in the upper end of the container, a compartment which communicates with the curling and feeding tube and is designed to contain a charge of tobacco equal to the amount required to properly fill a standard cigarette paper.

The above, and other incidental objects of a similar nature, which will be heremafter more specifically treated are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification, and then .more particularly pointed outin the claim which is appended hereto and forms part of this application. 7 v

With reference to the drawings, wherein there has been illustrated the preferred embodiment of this invention, as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken medially through the container, in a plane parallel to the face of the container,-as it is disclosed in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 1s a section on the line 33, of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4, ofFig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detail section on the line 5-5, of Fig.

this; head member carried by the forming u e. a

In taking up the detailed description of the preferred form of the invention, as embodied in the accompanying drawings, reference will first be had particularly to Fig. 1, wherein the container and the cigarette former are best disclosed as an operative entirety. In this figure, the numeral 10 designates generally the container which is of the well known design, now universally employed in packing pipe and cigarette tobacco. The tin or container 10 differs from the ordinary tin, however, in that ;it is provided in one edge with a longitudinal channel 11 which is produced by stamping the wall of the tin inwardly, as best disclosed in detail-in Fig. 4. This channel extends from. the bottom edge of the container to a point in proximity to the top of the container and serves, as will be hereinafter more fully disclosed, as a receiver for the cigarette forming tube, generally designated by the numeral 12. The upper end of the channel 11 is closed by a partition wall 13,

which member is provided with a central opening to receive the tube 12.- The upper end of the container is closed by a hinged lid 14 and a relatively fixed closure wall 15,

which member forms in eii'ect, a continua-v tion of the lid when the same is closed. The outer portion of the wall 15 is provided with a circular opening, which is disposed in vertical alinement with the opening in the partition wall 13. I The upper end of the tube 12 extends through these two openings, as

' disclosed in Fig. 2, and is held against withdrawal therefrom by a head plate or disk 16. The head plate 16 is held against movement away from the wall 15, by means of a cap plate 17 ,which is secured at its inner bears at its outer terminals against the upper face of the member 16. Leading into the chamber A, which is defined between 'the' walls 13 and 15, is a vertical slot or opening 18, which opening is defined by the internal partition flanges 19. These members 19 are equal to the width and length of the longitudinal" slot 20, which is formed in the upper end (if the tube 12. Thus, it will be seen that when the slot 20 is in registration with the endto the inner end of the member. 15 and slot' 18, tobacco may be let into the. tube from the container 10. In order that a uniform charge of tobacco may be let into the tube each time that a cigarette is to be rolled, I provide the partition wall 21 which member inclines downwardly from the upper end of I the container toward the bottom of the slot 18. The inclination of the partition wall 21 is necessary in order that the tobacco deposited within the chamber B will feed, by gravity, into the tube in a manner which will be understood .1" n reference to Fig. 2. The inner end of the partition 21 is spaced from the adjacent side of the container so that tobacco may be let from the container into the chamber B by ins-citing the chamber with the lid thereof closed.

Seated in the longitudinal channel 11, is a pair of curling guides 22 and 23 which are longitudinally spaced from each other and are formed from small metal. These strips of sheet metal are bent into substantially cylindrical form, but a small space, indicated at 24, is left between the two ends of the strips so that'a cigarette paper may pass into the guide. One end of each guide is bent, as at 25, to provide a lip which may be soldered or otherwise secured to the container at one longitudinal edge of the channel 11. It is now to be noted that the tube is of a diameter to snugly fit within the curling guide, so that when a cigarette paper is inserted in the guide, as in Fig. 4 the tube may be rotated by manipulation'of the head plate to draw the free edge of the cigarette paper into the guide. Obviously, the cigarette paper, when drawn into the guides, will be curled to form a tube or cylinder. The tube is of less length than the ordinary cigarette paper, so that after a paper has been curled to form a tube, its one end will project beyond the bottom of the container so that the operator may pinch the end of the paper tube to prevent the tobacco fed through the tube 12 from passing out throughv the end of the paper tube.

The actual construction and arrangement of the several parts of the container and cigarette former, being thus disclosed, it now remains to describe the manner in Which the cigarette is rolled. In this connection, reference will first be had to Fig. 2, wherein it will be seen that the container may be first turned to dispose the tube 12 in horizontal position. A cigarette paper is then inserted in the guides and the head plate is manipulated to curl the paper in the manner above. explained. The guides 22 and 23 act, after the paper is curled, as

sealers, whenthe edge of the paper is moistened, just before the completion of the curling. After the paper tube has been formed, the container is inverted to fill the charging chamber B with tobacco and the container is again righted. The projecting lower end of strips of sheet the paper tube is then pinched to seal the tube. The tube is then drawn down until its upper end portion is received within the lower guide member and the head plate is next rotated to bring the slot 20 in registration with the slot 18. When the slot 20 registers with the slot 18, tobacco will, as above explained, pass through these slots, from the chamber B and down the tube 12, into the paper tube. When the cigarette paper tube is being filled, the container may be gently tapped with the finger to prevent clogging in the feed tube. As the paper tube fills, the operator draws it down until it is finally removed from the tube 12. The head plate may then be-rotated to seal the slot 20 and the container put back in the owners pocket.

I now desire to explain that the head plate is enameled, painted or otherwise marked, so that its one-half will be difierent in color from its other half, thereby enabling the operator to determine the relative position of the slots 20 and 18. V

When desired, the container maybe accompanied by a spring clip 26, for holding a package of cigarette papers, against the container, a in Fig. 1.

In reduction to practice, it has been found that the form of this invention illustrated in the drawings, and referred to in the above description as the preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical; yet realizing =that the conditions concurrent with the this invention, as defined by the appended claim.

What is claimed 1s:

The combination of a tobacco container. having a longitudinal channel at one side,

a forming tube rotatably mounted within the channel, means coacting with the form ing tube for curling a cigarette paper into tubular form, a partition wall arranged within the container, said wall being inclined with respect to the forming tube, whereby tobacco placed within the chamber which is defined by the partition wall and the side walls of the container, will slide by gravity when the container is upright, toward the tube, a pair of partition walls disposed within said chamber and defining an outlet passage therefor, there being a slot in the forming tube, said tube being rotatable for disposing the slot in registration with the outlet opening, whereby tobacco will pass from said chamber into the forming tube, a partition disposed across the channel of the container at the inner end thereof, said tube being rotatably supported by said partition and the adjacent end of the container and extending beyond said end, said'extended end being closed, the slot of the tube being positioned between the last named partition and the end of the container. and a plate carried by said end of the container and overlying the closed end of the tube for holding said tube against longitudinal movement in one direction, said extended POI'Iiun of the tube being provided 10 with a head for. limiting movement of the tube in the uppwiw direction.

In testimomwhereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the PI'UMHP of two Witnesses. (iEURfil-T TATE GREEK.

\Vitnesses: 

